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Monday, February 6, 2012

Sertanejo universitário star Michel Teló has scored a global hit with the single "Ai Se Eu Te Pego" (“Oh, if I Catch You”), which has gotten millions of views at You Tube. Since September, the song has been listed #1 in at least nine European countries, according to the Feb. 4 Fox News Latino article Brazil's Michel Telo Becomes an International Country-Western Star, which quotes my Brazilian Sound co-author Ricardo Pessanha. I find the song annoyingly simple and repetitive, with an uninteresting melody. But simple + repetitive + a sexual theme often translate into worldwide success. Showing lots and lots of beautiful women in the audience for the music video, a few making provocative gestures, boosts online hits and sales as well.

The late singer Nara Leão was the "musa" of bossa nova and an important figure in the transition from bossa to MPB. Through the generosity of her family, every one of her songs from every one of her albums can now be heard for free on the Nara Leão website, which is in Portuguese. All the lyrics are included as well. Go straight to the songs here: Nara Leao discography.

Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown teamed up last year on the music of the animated film Rio, and the partnership of the Brasil '66 veteran and the idiosyncratic composer-percussionist from Bahia once again yielded successful results. The two have been nominated for an Oscar for Best Song for "Real in Rio," which was co-written by Siedah Garrett, John Powell and Mikael Mutti.

John Powell contributed the soundtrack and Mendes was executive music producer for Rio, which also includes the songs "Let Me Take You to Rio (Blu's Arrival)" by Brown, Ester Dean and Mikael Mutti; "Fly Love" by Brown and Garrett; "Funky Monkey" by Garrett, Brown and Mutti; "Sapo Cai" by Brown, Mutti and Mendes; "Valsa Carioca" by Mendes; and, "Forró da Fruta" by Brown and Mutti, as well as "Samba de Orly" by Toquinho and Chico Buarque (performed by Bebel Gilberto) and "Hot Wings" by Will.i.am, who co-produced the album Timeless with Mendes in 2006.

Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown collaborated on the noteworthy Brasileiro in 1992. which showcased Brown and fused MPB and Rio samba with axé music and funk. The record won the Grammy Award in 1993 for Best World Music Album (the Brasileiro liner notes are here).

About Me

I'm the author of "The Brazilian Music Book," a collection of interviews with iconic Brazilian musicians, and co-author of "The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova and the Popular Music of Brazil" (Temple University Press). I have contributed blogs and articles about music, culture, and the environment to The Huffington Post, Billboard and many other publications. I have also worked on Portuguese/English translations for academics, government agencies and major corporations. I can be reached at the email here and at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismcgowan.